Numbness
by Professor Flourish and Blotts
Summary: Aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts. Each of the Weasley siblings as realization hits them...
1. Bill

Bill stood at the window, his hands in his pockets, his lips pursed, at the ready to whistle. But he found he could not.

Fred was dead. Fred, his brother. Fred, one of the two jokers of the family. Dead.

Bill felt a tear trickle down one side of his scarred face, but he could not make any move to wipe it. A soft hand touched his sleeved arm; he moved to make space for her.

Fleur laid her head on his arm and allowed her tears to flow, down her cheek and onto his bloodstained coat.

"Ee died with a smile on his face." she whispered, nestling against his arm. Bill nodded, hardly trusting himself to speak. "And Remus and Tonks died side by side," she continued, softly. Bill felt a shard of ice attacking his insides. In his grief about Fred, he had forgotten them. Remus, his friend and advisor. Tonks too was very dear to him; they were roughly of the same age and had been at school together.

"T..Teddy?" he asked, his voice cracking. "What about Teddy and Mrs Tonks?"

"Zey are at ze Burrow." Fleur replied. "Charlie Flooed. Zey want you zere, now." Bill nodded and moved away from the window. Fleur was Levitating a large bag with her wand. She took his cold hand in hers and steered him to the door.


	2. Charlie

Charlie crept out of the fireplace and went to stand by the door. He closed his eyes.

He remembered the last time he had visited. It was for Bill's wedding to Fleur. It had been a happy occasion. Reflecting, he doubted whether he could ever be happy again.

Fred was gone. So was Dora. Remus too.

Charlie had not known Remus too well, but judging from brief conversations with him and Dora's letters, Remus was a brave and kindhearted man, whom life had treated unfairly.

Dora, on the other hand had been one of Charlie's closest friends. They had been in Hogwarts together, in the same year, but in different Houses: she, in Hufflepuff and he in Gryffindor. She was, like him, a dreamer. They would spend countless hours in the library together, when they were not in Quidditch practice or class; she reading about famous Aurors and he, on dragons.

Fred? Fred was his brother. A beacon of light in the darkness. Charlie could not stop a little smile escaping from him when he thought of the first time he had entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Now Fred was gone. Charlie couldn't imagine home without Fred and his pranks. He opened his eyes. A tear trickled softly down his cheek; he made no move to wipe it away.

In the next room, a soft voice was heard, muttering something soothing. It was Mrs Tonks, Dora's mother with Teddy. Teddy! Charlie closed his eyes again in pain. He had forgotten all about him. Teddy Lupin. Remus's son. Dora's son. He had no parents now. He heard his mother's voice, weary and broken and felt another stab of pain. Charlie could never forgive himself for not reaching Hogwarts in time to see Fred and everybody else.


	3. Percy

Percy sat on a low sofa in the sitting room, one arm around his mother, who was weeping heartbrokenly into her handkerchief. He lifted his hand and pulling off his horn-rimmed glasses, set them on his lap.

Fred. Fred was no longer amongst them. He was gone forever. But he had forgiven Percy. Percy could not help but cling to that memory: the most precious one of all his memories of Fred.

Beside him, Mother let out a sudden sob. He held her closer, glancing at the open door. Mrs Tonks was there, pacing, her grandson in her arms. Mother looked up at him and followed his eyes to the door. When she saw them, her eyes softened.

"I'll go call them in," she whispered. "It's cold in that room." Percy nodded mutely, as his mother rose and left the room. He glanced at Father. He was staring into the fire silently, his hands in his pockets.

He watched as Mother led Mrs Tonks back into the room, and he stood up to let the elder witch sit. Mother sat beside Mrs Tonks and took her hand.

Two women, locked in grief. Both had lost a child. A tear rolled down Percy's cheek, but he made no move to wipe it away.

He glanced at Ron, who was sitting on the floor with Hermione huddled next to him, and at Ginny who was sitting next to Aunt Muriel, her face expressionless. George was upstairs alone; not wanting to see anyone. Charlie was outside, waiting for Bill. Percy closed his eyes and clenched his fists, as more tears began to follow the first.


	4. George

George flicked his wand and watched his glass of some potion that Hermione had forced into his hand at Mum's insistence, float away and out of the window. A sudden rush of guilt stole over him and he brought it back with another flick. It landed on his bedside table with a slight thump.

Fred would have teased him mercilessly if he had known that he, George needed medicinal potions. Fred. His comrade-in-arms. His partner. His brother. His twin.

He was gone, never to return. George touched the hole on the side of his head gently. They had laughed over that. Would Fred have found something to joke around, about death? He would, George felt confident.

A tear slid down his face; but he made no move to wipe it away. He wondered if he should go downstairs then decided against it. Mum had enough to worry about without him being there. He leaned against the head of the bed and glanced out of the window. Bill and Fleur were striding arm-in arm towards the door.

He closed his eyes. He could hear Aunt Muriel saying something downstairs and was doubly glad he had not gone downstairs. He grabbed the vial and swallowed the potion in one gulp.

"There, Fred." he said. "Tease me all you want, but I did that for Mum."

Talking to Fred as if he were there made him feel slightly better. George lowered himself under the covers and closed his weary eyes.


	5. Ron

Ron sat on the cold floor by the door, Hermione pressed to his side. Her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. He slipped an arm around her and she sniffed. He glanced at her immediately.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her softly.

"Everyone." she replied. "Fred, Remus, Tonks." Ron closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Do you know," she continued. "Colin Creevey was found among the dead?"

Ron started.

"Really?" he asked. "That little fellow with the camera?" Hermione nodded.

"Isn't he underage?"

"Yes, but he crept back in to fight." She huddled closer to him and he held her tight. So many people had died, sacrificed themselves, been killed, murdered. He had witnessed so many deaths, so much pain and now, he found he could not blame Harry for wanting some time by himself. He wanted some too. Then he glanced at his mother and felt immediately guilty.

He felt Hermione shake beside him and glanced down at her. She was looking at Mrs Tonks and tears were pouring down her cheeks. He felt something sink inside him.

Teddy. The poor kid. He had no parents now. Mrs Tonks. She had lost her husband only weeks before; and now her only daughter was dead.

He suddenly found himself thinking of Remus: the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher they had ever had. Tonks who was always so cheerful and affectionate. He closed his eyes. How well he remembered the day after their wedding; Remus looked so happy and Tonks was simply radiant. His mind travelled to the day Remus had told them about Teddy's birth. He had been so overjoyed.

Then Fred. His elder brother. Who had turned his favourite teddy bear into a spider so long ago. Ron had hated it then but now he realized that he did not care if the whole house was filled with spiders, if he only had Fred back. A tear trickled slowly down his face; but he made no move to wipe it away.

Ron pulled Hermione closer to him, and glanced at the door. Bill and Fleur had arrived. Charlie walked up to them and hugged Bill tightly. Bill's long hair was loose, and it covered his face as he held Charlie to him. Fleur stood beside them, her shining head bent. After a long moment Charlie released Bill and turned to Fleur. She wiped her eyes quickly before hugging him. Bill picked his bag up and strode towards the door, Fleur and Charlie following close behind.

Ron glanced at Mum. She had risen with a choking cry; Bill walked up to her without a word and took her into his arms. She clung to him, weeping.

Charlie walked in slowly and went to stand behind Ginny's chair. Ron rose and Hermione did too, slipping her hand into his. Ron gripped it gratefully and let the tears flow.


	6. Ginny

Ginny glanced at Aunt Muriel's impassive face beside her and wished someone would say something. She glanced at Mum, whose arm was around Mrs Tonks, weeping as if her heart would break. She glanced at Dad, sitting by the fire, his eyes vacant; and at Percy, whose face was full of remorse and regret.

Fred. They were all thinking of Fred. A son, a brother, a prankster. How could he die? How could somebody so full of life and fun _die?_ She turned her head to face the window. They morning was as bright and sunny as any morning, as any morning would be if Fred was still living. How come the trees hadn't shed all their leaves because Fred was no more? How come the flowers hadn't withered away because Fred was no more?

Teddy coughed in his sleep and Ginny turned to him. She looked at Mrs Tonks and remembered. Remus and Tonks. Remus: the best Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher the school had ever had, and Tonks, who was like an older sister to her. How could they die? She thought of Remus' kind and understanding smile; and Tonks' pink hair and vivid personality. A hot tear trickled down one side of her face, but she made no move to wipe it away.

She glanced at Ron and Hermione huddled together, whispering and a felt a pang, not of jealousy but of longing. Where was Harry? This was his home, as much as it was hers. She closed her eyes, suddenly grateful for the silence, wishing she were upstairs with a sleeping draught like George was.

She opened her eyes. Bill had walked into the room, followed by Fleur and Charlie. As Bill hugged Mum, Charlie walked over to Ginny and stood behind her chair, putting his hands on her shoulders.

She watched her mother cling to Bill and weep on his chest, while he patted her back slowly, though his own eyes were filling with tears. She saw Dad rise and stand beside Percy, looking hollowed and suddenly old. She felt Charlie's hands clench her shoulders painfully, and saw Percy bend his head. She noticed that Fleur was patting Mum's shoulder, while tears poured down her own cheeks. She thought of George, lying upstairs, possibly dreaming of his dead twin. She looked at Mrs Tonks, holding Teddy and seeing in him, his dead parents. She glanced at a pale-faced Ron, one arm around a weeping Hermione. She closed her eyes and let the tears flow. For Fred, for Remus, for Tonks.


End file.
